Ah 



ELIMINATIO]^ BILL 



COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 
A • 



A ^. U. 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1908 



3S53^. 






D. 9t D* , 



A BILL 

To increase the efficiency of the Army of the United States. 

1 Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives oj 

2 the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 

3 President be, and he is hereby, authorized to prescribe a phys- 

4 ical examination of all officers of the Army of the grades of 

5 major and of lieutenant-colonel to determine their fitness for 

6 promotion: Provided, That should any such officer fail in his 

7 physical examination and be found incapacitated for service 

8 by reason of physical disability contracted in line of duty, he 

9 shall be retired with the rank to which his seniority entitle 

10 him to be promoted; but should the incapacity be foimd to 

11 have resulted from his own misconduct, he shall be honorably 

12 discharged from the Army, with one year's pay. 

13 Sec. 2. That when at the end of any fiscal year the average 

1 4 number of vacancies for the fiscal years subsequent to the passage 

15 of this Act in the grade of colonel in the cavalry, artillery, or 

16 infantry of the Army has been less than sixteen and eighty-four 

17 one-hundredths per centum of the authorized number of lieu- 

18 tenant-colonels in each arm, respectively; or in like manner when 

19 the average number of vacancies in the grade of lieutenant- 

20 colonel has been less than nine and eighty-nine one-hundredths 

21 per centum of the authorized number of majors; or in like man- 

22 ner when the average number of vacancies in the grade of major 

23 has been less than four and seventy-three one-hundredths per 

24 centum of the authorized number of captains; or in like manner 

25 when the average number of vacancies in the grade of captain 

(3) 



4 

1 has been less than twelve and eight one-hundredths per centum 

2 of the authorized number of first lieutenants; or in like manner 

3 when the average number of vacancies in the grade of first lieu- 

4 tenant has been less than eighteen and eighty-nine one-hun- 

5 dredths per centum of the authorized number of second lieuten- 

6 ants, the necessary additional vacancies to bring the average in 

7 each grade in each arm up to the percentages above named shall 

8 be created as hereinafter provided. 

9 Sec. 3. That upon the occurrence of a deficiency of vacan- 

10 cies in any grade, as set forth in section two of this act, the 

11 Secretary of War shall convene, as soon after the first of July as 

12 practicable, a board of five officers of the Army for the purpose 

13 of selecting from the active list of the several arms the necessary 

14 number to be retired: Provided, That if practicable, the grade 

15 of all officers composing such boards shall be senior to that of 

16 the officers to be considered by the board. The board shall have 

17 placed at its disposal the complete efficiency and medical records 

18 of all officers, as the list stood June thirtieth preceding, in those 

19 arms and grades wherein less than the required average of 

20 vacancies exists. Each member of said board shall swear or 

21 affirm that he will, without partiality, favor, or aftection, and 

22 having in view solely the special fitness of officers and the effi- 

23 ciency of the Army, perform the duties imposed upon him by 

24 this act. 

25 The board shall then proceed to select for retirement from 

26 the several gi'ades the requisite number fi'om among those offi- 

27 cers found to be, from any cause, least qualified for further active 

28 service, the number taken from each grade being such as to 

29 cause the average number of vacancies therein to conform to the 

30 percentages set forth in the preceding section : Provided, That no 



5 

1 colonel shall be retired under the provisions of this section when 

2 the eflfect thereof would be to promote a lieutenant-colonel of 

3 less than three years' service as such, unless the total com- 

4 missioned service of said lieutenant-colonel exceeds twenty- 

5 eight years; nor shall an}* lieutenant-colonel be retired under 

6 the provisions of this section when the effect thereof would be 

7 to promote a major of less than five years' service as such, 

8 unless the total commissioned service of said major exceeds 

9 twenty-five years; nor shall any major be retired under the pro- 

10 visions of this section when the effect thereof would be to pro- 

11 mote a captain of less than ten years' service as such, unless the 

12 total commissioned service of said captain exceeds eighteen 

13 years; nor shall any captain be retired under the provisions of 

14 this section when the effect thereof would be to promote any 

15 first lieutenant whose total length of commissioned service is less 

16 than ten 3'ears; nor shall any first lieutenant be retired vmder 

17 the provisions of this section when the effect thereof would be to 

18 promote any second lieutenant of less than four years' com- 

19 missioned service: And provided further, That in computing the 

20 total length of commissioned service there shall be included 

21 therein any commissioned service in the United States Volun- 

22 teers. The proceedings and recommendations of the board shall 

23 be in wTiting; shall be signed by all the members, a majority 

24 governing, and shall be transmitted to the President, who shall 

25 thereupon by order transfer to the unlimited retired list the 

26 officers who have been selected as provided in this act. 

27 Sec. 4. That each officer retired pursuant to the provi- 

28 sions of this act, except as pro^ided in section one hereof, shall 

29 be entitled to retired pay at the rate of a per centum of the 

30 pay he was receiving at the date of his retirement, which 



6 

1 per centum shall be equal to the product of the square of the 

2 nearest number of complete years of his service as a commis- 

3 sioned officer, multiplied by one-twelfth: Provided, That for 

4 terms of commissioned service less than ten complete years, each 

5 officer retired under the provisions of this act, except as pro- 

6 vided in section onp hereof, shall be entitled to one year's pay 

7 in lieu of all other retired pay: And 'provided further, That 

8 retired pay shall never exceed seventy-five per centum of the 

9 maximum pay of the grade. 

10 Sec. 5. That in computing the authorized commissioned 

11 strength in any grade, as required in section two hereof, the 

12 officers detailed in accordance with existing law for stated tours 

13 of duty in the various staff departments shall be included in 

14 that arm wherein they hold permanent commissions. 

15 Sec. 6. That all laws or parts of laws in conffict with the 

16 provisions of this act are hereby repealed, and nothing in this 

17 act shall be construed as changing the method of promotion 

18 now provided by law. 



War Department, 

WasMngton, May 25, 1908. 

Sir: Referring to Senate bill Xo, 3925, Fifty-ninth Congress, I have 
the honor to transmit herewith a new draft of a bill (inclosure 1) to 
the same effect, but revised in accordance with the changes in the 
organization of the Army produced by legislation had subsequent to 
the time when the former draft was drawn. 

The purpose of the bill is to increase the efficiency of the Army, and 
particularly that of the fighting branches. The importance of the 
bill can not be measured by its brevity. It seeks to provide a remedy 
for a condition of affairs in the Army, bad now, but certain to become 
intolerable unless a cure is applied. That condition is the result of 
stagnation in promotion, combined with unavoidable failure in prac- 
tice of retiring and examining boards to remedy the evil. 

The first section merely extends the provisions of existing law, so 
far as physical examination before promotion is concerned, to the 
field grades. 

Now, there is no further examination after the grade of major is 
reached. The bill provides such examination to ascertain physical 
fitness. It provides further that should the average number of 



vacancies per year from all causes in each ffrade from colonel to first 
lieutenant be less than a certain per cent oi the total number of offi- 
cers in the grade next below, additional vacancies to bring the total 
up to the required number shall be provided by weeding out the least 
efficient officers on the active list. 

They are selected by a sworn board, impartially, and are retired 
without increase of rank and with pay proportioned to their length 
of service. 

The selections for retirement are made solely with a view of bene- 
fiting the service by putting out of active service those (in limited 
number) who, from any cause, are found least qualified for duty. 
The selections come from the various grades in certain proportions 
calculated to maintain a fair average of promotion and to bring offi- 
cers, before their period of usefulness is nearly over, into positions 
where their activities will insure good organizations. 

An object of the bill is to secure what is absolutely indispenable to 
keep heart in our fighting units, namely, some prospect of promo- 
tion. Notably in accomplishing this purpose it adds a second and 
very important benefit to the service by eliminating those who, in 
the lapse of years and from any cause, have ceased to be fully equal 
to the work the Government has a right to expect. The proportion 
of field officers to company officers is such as to compel slow promo- 
tion everywhere in the service; in fact, it is of the utmost importance 
that promotion should be at least fair and officers put in responsible 
positions while in the fullness of vigor. 

It is a remarkable fact that our organization and our promotion 
laws are such as to insure in the greater part of the fighting force the 
minimum of promotion with the maximum of rust and decrepitude, 
exactly the reverse of what a wise policy would dictate. It is to 
remedy in some degree this unfortunate and unwise condition that 
this bill is offered. It makes no extravagant demands on the Treas- 
ury. It does injustice to no man. It is believed that it would, in 
practice, operate most beneficially to give our mobile army one of the 
most essential features of such a force, i. e., field and company officers 
possessed of zeal and physical energy. 

This bill, it is believed, will correct the two evils mentioned above 
which exist among the officers of the Army: The evil of superannua- 
tion and the evil of the presence of inefficient members, whom existing 
laws are not efficacious in eliminating. 

The evil of superannuation arises from the character of the organi- 
zation of the personnel of the officers. It is evident that in a body 
which is entered by its component members at an approximate given 
age — about 2.3 years for the officers of the Arnw — and left at a stated 
age — 64 years for officers — and in which advancement is had regu- 
larly in the order of seniority, the proportion of liis total time of 
service that an individual will spend in each one of the grades of the 
organization will depend upon the ratio which the number in each 
grade bears to the total number in the organization — that is, if the 
numbers in the high grades are small in comparison with the total 
strength of the organization, the proportion of his service wliich the 
individual will spend in the high grades will be small in comparison 
with his total service. In other words, he will reach the high grades 
late in life. Similarly, if the numbers in the high grades are large in 
comparison with the total number, the individual will spend a cor- 



8 

respondingly large proportion of his life in the high grades, or will 
reach the liigh grades at an early age. 

The proportion of officers in the different grades of an army is 
approximately the same in all services of the world, and has been 
arrived at as the result of the world's experience of what has been 
found conducive to military efficiency. In a fighting organization 
in the United States something over a thousand men are placed 
under the command of a single officer, a colonel; there is one general 
assistant, who can take the place of the colonel upon occasion, a 
lieutenant-colonel. The organization, a regiment, is divided into 
three parts, each of which is under a commander, a major, and each 
of the three parts, or battalions, is divided into four companies, each 
of which has a captain and two lieutenants. In addition there are 
a certain number of staff officers of a regiment, whose duties are 
general. 

Regiments are grouped together into larger organizations, under 
command of higher officers, and these again into still larger organiza- 
tions, under the command of still liigher officers. The higher com- 
manding officers have staff officers to look after the general duties 
connected with the entire body, the staff officers having rank appro- 
priate to the duties which they perform. The division into grades in 
the United States is such that, in the line of the Army and in the staff 
organizations which are formed hj detail of officers from the line, the 
general officers constitute about 0.9 per cent of the whole number, 
colonels about 2.6 per cent, lieutenant-colonels about 3 per cent, 
majors about 8.03 per cent, captains about 31 per cent, first lieuten- 
ants about 27.9 per cent, and second lieutenants about 26.8 per cent. 

The consequence of these proportions is that, in the ordinary course 
of promotion by seniority, considering casualties that occur through 
death, resignation, dismissal, disability, and retirement at 64 years of 
age, officers will reach the grade of ffi-st lieutenant at about 29.5 years 
of age, that of captain at about 38.5 years of age, that of major at about 
51.8 years of age, that of lieutenant-colonel at about 57 years of age, 
and that of colonel at about 59.5 years of age. It is possible to reduce 
these ages only by selecting certain individuals for advancement 
beyond that which they would otherwise receive, which process would 
affect only themselves and would correspondingly retard the pro- 
motion of others, thus not affecting the average ages of promotion, or 
to eliminate by some artificial process a sufficient number to cause 
those remaining to receive their promotions to the different grades at 
what might be considered reasonable ages. It is the object of this 
bill to accomplish the latter process, effort being made to insure that 
the officers eliminated in order to accomplish the more rapid promo- 
tion of those who remain shall be the least efficient in their grades. 

The bill provides that when the number of promotions from each 
grade up to that of colonel shall not average annually a stated per- 
centage of the total number in that grade by reason of normal casual- 
ties, a sufficient number of vacancies shall be artificially created by 
selection to bring the number of promotions up to the stated per- 
centages. The percentages given have been computed so as to cause 
the promotion of officers to the grade of captain at an average of 34 
years, to that of major at 44 years, to that of lieutenant-colonel at 50 
years, and to that of colonel at 54 years of age. The bill has been 
framed to apply only to the line and to those staff corps which are 
recruited from the line. It is found by computation that in addition 



9 

to those which statistics show may be counted upon as dropping out 
by ordinary casuahies, it would be necessary to ehminate annually 
b}' the operation of the act about 38 lievitenants, about 44 captains, 
about 14 majors, about 6 lieutenant-colonels, and about 3 colonels; 
that is, about 3.8 per cent of the first lieutenants, about 3.97 per cent 
of the captains, about 4.67 per cent of the majors, about 5.28 per cent 
of the lieutenant-colonels, and about 3.42 per cent of the colonels. 

From all causes there would occur annually in the organization 
considered about 196 vacancies, wliich would have to be filled by the 
appointment of that number of second lieutenants. Of the second 
lieutenants about 182 would annually reach the age of 27.09 j^'ears 
and be promoted to the grade of first lieutenant, the remainder hav- 
ing gone out by ordinary casualties. Of the first lieutenants about 
159 would reach the age of 34 each year, and of these about 121, the 
required percentage, would be promoted to the grade of captain; the 
remainder would be eliminated by the operation of this act. Of the 
captains about 96 would aiinually reach the age of 44, and of these 
about 52 would be promoted to the grade of major, the others falling 
out under the act. Of the majors about 42 would annually reach the 
age of 50, and of these about 29 would be promoted, the olhers going 
out under the act. Of the lieutenant-colonels about 24 would annu- 
ally reach the age of 54, and of these 18 w^ould be promoted, the 
others going out under the act. Of the colonels 3 would be elimi- 
nated imder the operation of this act, some would go out from other 
causes, and the remainder and the general officers not objects of other 
casualties would reach the age of 64 and be retired at that age, 
amounting to about 6 per year. 

Taking into consideration the retirements from those branches of 
the Army which are not affected by the bill, the ulitmate composition 
of the retired list, after the act should have been in operation long 
enough to produce a normal condition, would be as follows, including 
those retired for all causes which carry retired pay: 

Lieutenants 1, 321 

Captains 1, 488 

Majors 513 

Lieutenant-colonels 193 

Colonels 142 

Brigadier-generals 82 

Major-generals 21 

Lieutenant-generals 3 

Total 3, 763 

Under the present laws the ultimate composition of the retired list 
will be as follows: 

Lieutenants. . .-. 214 

Captains 512 

Majors 245 

Lieutenant-colonels .* 107 

Colonels a 360 

Brigadier-generals 93 

Major-generals 22 

Lieutenant-generals 4 

Total 1, 556 

« The large number of colonels upon the retired list, in comparison with the number 
of lieutenant-colonels, is due to the fact that at the grade of colonel officers commence 
to retire by reason of reaching the limiting age, 64 years. 



10 

It is thus seen that the operation of the proposed act would much 
increase the size of the retired Ust and, if no offsetting cause were 
introckiced, the expense of the mihtary estahhshment would be made 
greater; not, however, in proportion of the increased size of the 
retired hst, because by examining the retired hst it will be seen that 
the increase in the retired list under the proposed act is very largely 
in the lower grades, and that the number of retired officers in the 
higher grades would be very considerably less than under the present 
laws. The effect would, however, still be a considerable increase in 
cost, and to meet this it is pro^^ded that the pay of officers of less 
than thirty years' service, when retired, shall be a materially less 
percentage of their active pay than that which is provided for officers 
retired under the present laws. It is proposed that the pay of officers 
retired under this act shall be a percentage of their active pay repre- 
sented by one-twelfth of the square of the number of years of their 
service as officers, up to thirty years. This makes the pa}'' of officers 
retired after thirty years' service, or greater, 75 per cent of their 
active pay; which period of ser\dce has by existing laws been recog- 
nized as that for which Congress has been willing to award 75 per cent 
of their active pay, both to officers and enhsted men. 

For service of less than thirty years the retired pay diminishes in 
more rapid proportion than the length of service itself under this 
plan, so that officers retiring with little service, and at correspondingly 
younger ages, will receive less than a proportionate percentage of 
their retired pay. Thus officers retired as first lieutenants after about 
eleven years of service, in order to make room for the statutory num- 
ber of promotions of second lieutenants, will receive about 10 per 
cent of their active pay, or about $240 a year; officers retired as 
captains, after about twenty years' service, will receive 33J per cent 
of their active pay, or about $1,120 a year; officers retired as majors 
after about twenty-seven years' service, will receive about 60 per 
cent of their active pay, or about $2,400 a year; officers retu'ed as 
lieutenant-colonels will probably have had nearly thirty years of 
service, and officers retired as colonels will certainly have had such 
length of service, and thus receive 75 per cent of their active pay, 
as under the present laws. 

These illustrations give about the maximum retired pay for officers 
of the different grades and apply to officers retired at about the maxi- 
mum ages for their grades. The minimum ages of retirement for 
the different grades would be about as follows: For first lieutenants, 
28 years; for captains, 35 years; for majors, 45 years; for lieutenant- 
colonels, 51 years, and for colonels, 55 years; and the corresponding 
rates of pay would be, for first lieutenants, about 2 per cent of their 
active pay, or about $44 a year; for captains, about 12 per cent of 
their active pay, or about $374 a year; for majors, about 40 per 
cent of their active pa}', or about $1,600* a year; for lieutenant- 
colonels, about 65 per cent of their active pay, or about $2,925 a 
year. No retired colonel would receive less than 75 per cent of his 
active pay. 

Noting the low ])ercentage which would be received by first lieu- 
tenants retired at the youngest possilile age, attention is invited to 
the feature of the bill which provides that officers retired after less 
than ten years' service as such shall receive upon retirement one 
year's pay in lieu of further annual pay; this to avoid the continued 
payment of insignificant sums. 



11 

Under the supposition that officers retired by the operation of this 
act will be so retired at the highest ao;es possible in their grades, and 
consequently with the greatest retired pay. the total cost of the re- 
tired list of the Army is computed to eventually become S5, 869, 704. 23 
per annum. lender the present laws the total cost of the retired list 
is computed to eventually become $4,623,388.52. This cost of the 
retired list will thus be increased b}^ the proposed act $1,246,315.71. 
But by reason of the fact that the officers of the active list will be 
younger under the new arrangement, and therefore drawing a less 
amount as increased pav for length of service, the cost of the active 
list will be reduced from $12,402,694.14 to $12,174,637.97, a reduc- 
tion of $228,056.17, so that the net increase in the pay of officers of 
the Army will be $1,018,259.54. If, however, the officers retired by 
operation of this act shall be retired at the youngest possible ages in 
their grades, and therefore with the least retired pay, the cost of the 
retired list ^\^ll be $4,421,150.80: and there will be effected by the 
operation of the act a saving, from the expense under the present 
laws, of $430,293.89. 

The difference in expense will therefore fall somewhere between the 
increase and the decrease mentioned; but as it is not possible to say 
just where in their grades the retired officers will })e taken from greater 
exactness of prediction as to expense is not possible. It is to be noted 
that the ultimate cost of the retired list untler the present law is stated 
to be considerably greater than the $2,941,934.47,,carried by the cur- 
rent act for the support of the Army. The reason for this increase, 
notwithstanding the fact that a good many officers have recently been 
given a higher grade upon retirement, is that the present retired list 
has been recruited almost entirely from an army of considerably less 
size than that which exists under the present laws. 

The bill tloes not make any attempt to rearrange the oflicers who 
shall not be eliminated in accordance with their merit, and conse- 
quently there is no assurance of the advantage to the military service 
of the service of the most capable officers in the higher grades. 
Although the bill thus falls short of the best measure which might be 
imagined, it is believed to carry all that is practicable at the present 
time on account of the widely prevalent fear that it would not be 
possible to insure the selection of officers for promotion in general 
accordance with their merit, and it secures a very great increase of 
etiiciency at the expense not of the United States, but of those who 
shall be judged by boards of experienced oflicers to be the ones who, 
on account of being the least efficient, can best be spared from the 
service. 

Although the officers thus eliminated fTom active service are retired, 
at the lower ages, with a very moderate percentage of their active pay, 
they are still believed to be treated with proper consideration, 
especially when the consequences of lack of success in civil life are 
borne in mind. Officers retired at 40 years of age will receive about 
$800 a year as retired pay, and will have all of their time at their dis- 
posal for the purpose of increasing their incomes; those retired with a 
less amount will be at ages sufficiently young to enable them to per- 
form work which should luring them in, when added to their retired 
pay, enough to preserve them fi'om hardship. It should be remem- 
bered that those retired through loss of health, or other disability 
mcurred in the line of duty, will receive the 75 per cent of their active 
pay which is now provided by law. It is believed that the bill strikes 



12 

a just mean between expense and due consideration for all concerned. 
If hio;her pay is to be granted to those eliminated. Congress must con- 
sent to an increase of cost of the military establishment; if less 
drastic elimination be insisted upon, promotion to the different grades 
must be accepted at greater ages than the very mature ones wliich are 
proposed. 

I do not consider the rates of retired pay as over generous, but have 
lixed them at the figures given in order to prepare a bill to which there 
can be no objection on the ground of increased cost. Should it be 
desired to consider the payment of more generous retired salaries to 
eliminated officers than those contemplated by the percentage law 
given in the bill, the costs of other more generous laws have been 
computed. If officers retired under the operation of the bill should 
receive a percentage of their active pay expressed as follows: 
%^.456(years)|, the cost of the militaiy establishment would be in- 
creased $503,018.70 over and above the cost which would occur under 
the law %=iV (years)- as provided in the bill. Similarly, if such offi- 
cers should receive a percentage represented by %=2.5 (years) the 
cost of the military establishment would be increased $1,198,108.62. 
In each case the increase in cost is entirely in the retired list. The 
several percentage schemes are set forth graphically in the sheet of 
curves herewith inclosed. 

A substantial advantage carried by the scheme is that there will be 
on the retired list, and under pay from the Government, about 576 
olficers, ultimately, under 45 years of age, who will therefore be 
properly subject to summons into the active service of the Army upon 
the occasion of war, or of active preparation for war. 

The line and detailed staff of the Army has been taken as consisting 
of — 

Second lieutenants 963 

First lieutenants 1, 006 

Captains 1, 106 

Majors 289 

Lieutenant-colonels 107 

Colonels 94 

Brigadier-generals 25 

Major-generals 7 

Lieutenant-generals 1 

Total 3, 598 

The statistics in regard to the ordinary casualties, death, resigna- 
tion, dismissal, retirement for disability, etc., have been taken from 
the records of The Military Secretary's Office for the years 1883 to 
1897, inclusive, and changed proportionate!}^ to accord with the differ- 
ent numbers and ages of the grades in the present Army and under 
the proposed scheme. 

EXPLANATION OF THE DIAGRAMS. 

[Inclosures 2 and 3.] 

The diagram entitled "Promotion under laws existing at date" has 
a table of which the heading of the first column is ''Eliminated annu- 
ally." This table shows the number of officers of all grades who are 
eliminated each year from all causes. Those eliminated by retire- 
ment with 75 per cent of their active pay go out either for disability, 
for length of service, or by reason of reaching the limiting age of 64 




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13 

years. Most of the colonels and generals eliminated are retired for 
the last reason. The total number of casualties is seen to amount to 
137.393 per year; this number of second lieutenants must therefore 
come into the Army each year in order to keep up the organization. 
This number is plotted as the first ordinate or vertical distance from 
the horizontal line marked ''Axis of ages" up to the beginning of the 
curve (curve A) corresponding to the age 23 years, which is taken as 
the average of entry into the service. 

The numbers along the horizontal line, commencing at 23, indi- 
cate the various ages of officers of the Army from 23 years, the age 
of entry, up to 64 years, the age of compulsory retirement. The 
vertical distances from the horizontal line up to the curve are pro- 
portional to the number of officers, which is printed at intervals cor- 
responding to one year along the curve. The second ordinate, 
134.902, shows the number who are still in service at the age of 24, 
while the third ordinate, 132.440, shows the number still remaining 
at the age of 25, etc. That is, each ordinate of the curve A shows 
the number of the 137.393 officers entered as second lieutenants at 
the age of 23 who are still in the service at the age corresponding to 
the ordinate. Thus, glancing along the horizontal line, we come, 
say, to the figure 35, and looking up fi'om this figure to curve A, we 
see the corresponding number 109.156. This means that there are 
109.156 officers at the age of 35, the dift'erence between this number 
and 137.393, or 28.237, having been eliminated in the twelve years 
that have passed by the different natural causes mentioned in the 
table. We thus see that by the time the officers who entered at 23 
have reached the age of 64 there are only 28.383 of them remaining 
in the service. These will of course be retired for age. As the same 
process is repeated each year, it follows that this number of officers 
will be annually retired by reason of having reached the age of 64. 

Looking at curve B, we notice that the ordinate corresponding to 
23 years, 137.393, is the same as the first ordinate of curve A. This 
means that there are in the service 137.393 officers whose average age 
is 23 years. The second ordinate, 272.295, is the sum of the first two 
ordinates of curve A, and means that there are this number of officers 
up to the class whose average age is 25 years. The third ordinate, 
404.735, is the sum of the first three ordinates of curve A, and means 
that there are 404.735 officers up to the class whose average age is 26 
years. Similarly, any ordinate of curve B is the sum of the ordinates 
of curve A up to and including the corresponding average age, and 
indicates the number of officers in the service of all ages from the 
entering age, 23, up to and including the age corresponding to the 
ordinate considered. Thus, looking again along the horizontal line 
to the age 35, we see that there are 1,599.243 officers in the service up 
to and including the class whose average age is 35 years. Naturally 
the ordinate corresponding to the age 63, 3,598, is the total number of 
officers in the Army as allowed by its organization. 

Under the heading "Composition of organizations considered, 
including detailed staff, " there is given the number of officers of each 
grade who are included in the line" of the Army and those staft" depart- 
ments whose members are detailed from the line, the total number 
being 3,598, or the total considered in computing curves A and B. 
This table shows that there are 963 second lieutenants in the organ- 
ization considered. Now, running along curve B until we come to 



14 

the number 963, we see that for this number the correspondinfr aver- 
age age is 29.436 years; that is, all the second lieutenants are included 
between the average ages of 23 and 29.436 years. In other words, 
a second lieutenant gets a promotion to a first lieutenancy at an aver- 
age age of 29.436 years. Adding together the first and second lieu- 
tenants in the organization, we find that the sum is 1,969, and running 
along the curve B until we reach this figure we fuid the corresponding 
average age is 38.553 years. That is, the average ages of first and 
second lieutenants include the ages from 23 to 38.553; or, in other 
words, an officer gets his promotion from first lieutenant to captain 
at the latter age. 

Similarly, we find that the sum of the second and first lieutenants 
and captains is 3,075, and by curve B we see that 3,075 officers are 
included up to the average age of 51.863 years, and this is the age at 
which an officer receives a promotion to a majority. By the same 
process we find that an officer receives his promotion to a lieutenant- 
colonelcy at the average age of 57.033 years, and to a colonelcy at the 
average age of 59.452 years. As promotion by seniority ends at the 
grade of colonel there is no way of telling at what age an officer 
becomes a general officer. He may, in fact, become a general officer 
at any age, but if he is promoted to such a grade at an earlier age 
than 59.452 years he will thereby keep back some other officer and 
increase the average age of promotion to each grade up to the grade 
to which he is thus promoted. 

Running along the horizontal line to the average age at which 
second lieutenants are promoted to first lieutenants (29.436 years), 
and then glancing up to curve A, we see that the number at that 
average age is 121.837; that is, this is the number of second lieuten- 
ants who are annually promoted to first lieutenancies. Similarly, 
taking the average age of promotion to a captaincy (37.553 years), 
the corresponding number at that age, according to curve A, is 
101.354, and this is the number of first lieutenants who are annually 
promoted to captaincies. Similarly, the number of captains who are 
annually promoted to majorities is 65.357; the number of majors 
annually promoted to lieutenant-colonelcies is 49.471 ; and the num- 
ber of lieutenant-colonels annually promoted to colonelcies is 42.010. 
In the table headed "Percentage of officers in each grade promoted 
yearly to next higher grade" the figures are given as the percentage 
of the number in each grade respectively. That is, the 121.837 
second lieutenants who are annually promoted to first lieutenancies 
form 12.65 per cent of the number in that grade; the 101.354 first 
lieutenants who are annually promoted to captaincies form 10.07 per 
cent of the number in the grade of first lieutenant, etc. 

Those who are retired annually from the organization considered 
are supposed to suffer thereafter only the normal death rate, and they 
therefore form a body whose numbers and composition can be com- 
puted from proper mortality tables. Taking the numbers retired 
from each grade, in accordance with the first-mentioned table, and 
supposing the process of retirement to continue until the total num- 
ber of deaths annually in each class just eciual the acquisitions from 
new retirements, the ultimate composition of the retired list is given 
in the table with that heading, in which the first line refers to the 
organization considered and the recruitment of the retired list from 
that organization alone. In order to arrive at the ultimate compo- 



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15 

sition of the entire retired list, the recruitments to it from the Engi- 
neer Corps, the Medical Department, and the chaplains, which have 
not been included in the organization considered, are added. 

The cost of the military establishment, as shown on the table of 
cost, is made up by taking all the officers in the different grades on 
the active list and dividing them into groups in accordance with 
their length of service, so as to get the proper longevity pay of each, 
and then computing their pay from the Army pay tables. The cost 
of the retired list is obtained by taking the number of officers of the 
different grades from the table ''Ultimate composition of retired 
list," and giving to each his retired pa}', as determined by that which 
he was receiving at the time of retirement, of which he continues to 
receive 75 per cent. To the figures obtained from the organization 
considered are added those relating to the Engineer Corps, the Medical 
Department, and chaplains. 

The table headed "Number of officers on retired list" is arranged 
to show the number of such officers who are under 45 years of age, and 
who might therefore be supposed to be capable of doing some service 
in time of need, in case their physical condition were not too bad. 

The diagram entitled "Operation of the proposed elimination act," 
revised November 7, 1907, gives some data under the law as it is pro- 
posed to change it. The table whose first column is headed "Elimi- 
nated annually" gives the same data as the corresponding table in the 
first diagram, with the addition of a line which shows the number of 
officers of each grade who will be retired under the operation of the 
proposed act. The numbers which are eliminated from the different 
grades by reason of the ordinary causes, such as death, resignation, 
etc., are different from those in the corresponding table of the first 
diagram for the reason that the ages of tlie officers composing the dif- 
ferent grades are different in the two schemes. By the table of the 
second diagram it is seen that there is a total of 196.22 eliminated each 
year, by all causes, under the proposed act, and this is the number 
which, as above, must enter the service as second lieutenants each 
year at the age of 23 in order to keep up the organization considered. 
This organization is the same as in the above table, giving a total 
number of 3,598 officers. 

In the table headed "Percentage of officers in each grade pro- 
moted yearly to next higher grade" is given the percentage of the 
number in each grade who must be annually promoted to the grade 
above, through the occurrence of ordinary casualties and of casualties 
artificially created by the operation of the proposed act. In the first- 
mentioned table there is shown the number of casualties in each 
grade which will thus have to be annually created artificially. 

The 196.218 officers who enter as second lieutenants each year at 
the age of 23 then commence to be operated upon by various causes, 
death, resignation, etc., and diminish in number each successive 
year, the inclination of curve A showing, as in the first diagram, the 
dwindling effect of these causes. Adding together the numbers 
corresponding to the different ages, on the horizontal line, we form 
the successive ordinates of curve B, as in the case above, any ordi- 
nate of this curve representing the number of lieutenants up to and 
including the corresponding age; the highest numbered ordinate, 
1969, representing the total number of lieutenants considered. 
Running along this curve we find that corresponding to the average 



16 

age 27.095, the number is 963, the total number of second lieutenants 
in the organization: at this age, therefore, the number of officers, 
taken from curve A, 181.907, are promoted to first lieutenancies; 
which number is 18.89 per cent of the second lieutenants, none of 
whom are eliminated by the operation of the act. 

The 181.907 oflicers promoted to be first lieutenants annually suc- 
cessively diminish, by natural casualties, until at the age of 34' there 
are 159.084 of them left. At this age 121.538 are promoted, being 
12.08 per cent of the total number of first lieutenants and the 
remainder, 37.546 are eliminated by retirement under the act, in order 
to make room for the promotion of the statutory percentage of the 
second lieutenants. 

The 121.558 captains diminish in the same manner each year until 
at the age of 44 there are 96.340 left; the various survivors at the 
different ages being added together form the successive ordinates of 
curve B, of which the liighest numbered ordinate, 1106, is the total 
number of captains in the organization. At the age of 44, 52.330 
captains are promoted, being 4.73 per cent of their total number; the 
remainder, 44.010, are retired under the act, in order to make room 
for the promotion of the statutory number of first lieutenants. 

Similarly, it appears that 42.096 majors annually reach the age of 
50, of whom 28.589 are promoted, being 9.89 per cent of the total 
number of majors, and 13.507 are retired; 23.666 lieutenant-colonels 
annually reach the age of 54, of whom 18.014 are promoted, 16.84 
per cent of the total number of lieutenant-colonels, and 5.652 are 
retired. 

Similarly, it appears that 12.472 colonels annually reach the age 
of 60, of whom 9.254 are promoted, bein^ 9.84 per cent of the total 
number of colonels, and 3.218 are retired. The 9.254 colonels pro- 
moted to generals annually decrease due to natural causes until at 
the age of 64, 6.452 remain and this number are annually retired 
under the provisions of existing law. These statements are made 
Tinder the supposition that all general officers are made from colonels. 
It is thus seen that in the second diagram, curve A shows, as in the 
first, the diminution in number of the officers who enter the service 
each year at the average age of 23 ; but because of the artificial elim- 
inations that take place by the application of this act, the curve is 
not continuous, but breaks in passing from one grade to the next. 

The. ultimate composition of the retired list is shown by a table 
with that heading, and the percentage of active pay at the time of 
retirement for each officer is shown by the little diagram entitled 
"Percentage curve," in which the horizontal line at the bottom rep- 
resents the number of years' service as an officer, and the vertical 
distances from the horizontal line to the curve show the correspond- 
ing percentage of active pay which will be received. Thus an officer 
retired after twenty years of service will receive 33 J per cent of his 
pay at time of retirement. 

The explanation of the tables of cost and of the number of officers 
on the retired list is the same as for the first diagram, showing the 
operation of existing laws. 

Note. — It should be borne in mind that the operation of the proposed law, as indi- 
cated above, assumes that the natural casualties will occur in accordance with past 
experience under the present law. It is necessary to make this assumption, as it is 
impossible to predict what effect the proposed law would have upon the occurrence of 
casualties. 



17 

If the natural casualties under the proposed law sliould occur at a greater rate than 
assumed, it is evident that fewer otlicers would need to be eliminated artificially than 
are enumerated on the drawing, and, on the other hand, if the natural casualties should 
occur at a less rate, more officers would have to be eliminated artificially than shown 
on the drawing. 

I urge most earnestly the favorable consideration of this bill, and 
regard the passage of this or some similar measure as indispensable 
to the efRciency of the Army. 

Should your committee, in the consideration of this measure, 
desire the presence of those officers who have made a special studv 
of this subject, for further explanation of its merits, they will be 
instructed to report as you may desire. 

Very respectfully, Wm. H. Taft, 

Secretary of War. 
Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, 

United States Senate. 

O 

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